McKeel's sister back on Florida Polytechnic payroll

Last year, Maggie Mariuccicited a toxic, stressful environment as the reason she left her job at what was then known as University of South Florida Polytechnic. Her April resignation came just days after Gov. Rick Scott signed the law creating the university we now call Florida Polytechnic and just as details of a critical financial review of school operations was being made public.

At the time, the contentious legislative battle that resulted in the split had deepened hostilities on the Lakeland campus. The report alleging that former chancellor Marshall Goodman had mismanaged funds and further harmed the working environment didn't help things. Mariucci was the director of development making a $65,000 salary when she left the job.

Now, the Lakeland Ledger is reporting that Mariucci, the sister of Rep. Seth McKeel, is back at Polytechnic. McKeel, a Lakeland Republican who now heads the House's budget committee, has a long-standing relationship with the school as one of its main supporters in Tallahassee.

The Ledger reports that Mariucci will serve as director of external affairs and interim director of the university's foundation and make $92,500 a year. She is among several staff members hired by interim Polytechnic chief operating officer Ava Parker.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.